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  #1  
Old 1st October 2010, 16:50
suzy.snowflake suzy.snowflake is offline
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Default Breathing to calm yourself

We're told in every book we read to do deep breathing to calm the body and mind when anxiety and panic take over...... so what am I doing wrong? I don't find it at all calming and it gives me a headache! Have I just got the technique wrong or is it not for me? What other relaxation methods do people use that may be of benefit to me?
  #2  
Old 1st October 2010, 16:54
Mortigantoj Mortigantoj is offline
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Default Re: Breathing to calm yourself

If you're getting a headache from it, you're probably breathing in too deeply and too quickly!
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Old 1st October 2010, 18:50
Craig75 Craig75 is offline
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Default Re: Breathing to calm yourself

breathing is overrated.
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Old 1st October 2010, 19:01
Mortigantoj Mortigantoj is offline
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Default Re: Breathing to calm yourself

^ you say that now, but try going without it for a day!
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Old 1st October 2010, 21:08
Craig75 Craig75 is offline
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Default Re: Breathing to calm yourself

okay I will. just see if I don't
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Old 1st October 2010, 23:42
G-1 G-1 is offline
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Default Re: Breathing to calm yourself

Quote:
Originally Posted by suzy.snowflake
We're told in every book we read to do deep breathing to calm the body and mind when anxiety and panic take over...... so what am I doing wrong? I don't find it at all calming and it gives me a headache! Have I just got the technique wrong or is it not for me? What other relaxation methods do people use that may be of benefit to me?
Take a few deep breaths making sure that you make your stomach expand, rather than your chest as you inhale.... if you let your chest expand it might actually increase your anxiety! Take a deep breath in, hold it for a second then slowly let it out. Do that once or twice and you should feel some benefit.
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Old 2nd October 2010, 03:10
graham87 graham87 is offline
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Default Re: Breathing to calm yourself

i like breathing
  #8  
Old 2nd October 2010, 10:12
sparky10 sparky10 is offline
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Default Re: Breathing to calm yourself

breathe in to your stomach and not your chest. make the outbreathes longer
than the in breathe aswell.
You gotta do this for about 3 minutes for the affects to take place.
  #9  
Old 2nd October 2010, 10:34
W!llow W!llow is offline
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Default Re: Breathing to calm yourself

When do you do the breathing Suzy? I used to sometimes do it just before I was going in to a situation that made me nervous for me that didn't work, I think the reason being because it was making me concentrate even more on myself. I think possibly getting into a habit of breathing/relaxation exercises at a time when you are relaxed then it comes more naturally at other times. As the others have said diaphragm breathing is the one you want rather than shallow chest breathing. If you have a relaxation c.d it will give you an idea of how long to take with each breath. Shallow breathing or over-breathing can lead to feeling worse.
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Old 2nd October 2010, 18:20
suzy.snowflake suzy.snowflake is offline
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Default Re: Breathing to calm yourself

Thanks very much for the great advice. I will make time to learn to relax. I think that's been the problem up until now: I haven't learned relaxation when I have time to concentrate and learn the right technique, I just find myself in bad situations and tell myself to take big breaths and I do it all wrong. Practice, practice, practice!!!
  #11  
Old 2nd October 2010, 21:22
Rebeccax30 Rebeccax30 is offline
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Default Re: Breathing to calm yourself

I was told that if you are panicing, breathing is the wrong thing to focus on. As your body has just released a load of adrenaline the best thing to do is take some exercise. I tried this because I used to have panic attacks fairly regularly. Going for a brisk walk around the block did it for me but if I was home alone doing a few star jumps also worked (wouldn't reccomend that in public though).
  #12  
Old 2nd October 2010, 22:44
Taylor Taylor is offline
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Default Re: Breathing to calm yourself

I'm not sure deep breaths are good if you're anxious or panicking because you are already releasing too much adrenaline and starting the fight/flight response as if you are exercising when you are not. Breathing deep would just send more oxygen to your body allowing your heart to beat faster and you to breathe faster. For example when someone hyperventilates they are given a small bag to breathe into to limit their oxygen so they slow their breathing down which slows their heartbeat down. I would try taking very slow breaths through your nose and breathing out through your mouth.
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Old 3rd October 2010, 00:52
dlm026 dlm026 is offline
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Default Re: Breathing to calm yourself

I benefit a lot from calm, conscious breathing. I've read that it is best to try not to shape the breath when you practise - instead, just focus your attention on it and you will find deep breathing will come more naturally. It's normal to feel frustrated when you start because of all the accumulated tension that has built up over the years.

Here is an excerpt from the book I own.

"slowly, and with great kindness and gentleness, focus attention on the breath and let the impurities be carried away by the exhalation."

So there's no need to feel disheartened that it isn't working for you now. Just keep that quote in mind.
  #14  
Old 3rd October 2010, 01:55
G-1 G-1 is offline
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Default Re: Breathing to calm yourself

Quote:
Originally Posted by sparky10
You gotta do this for about 3 minutes for the affects to take place.
Quote:
Originally Posted by In The Moment
I read in a book a while back that once you heart gets going it can take upto 3 minutes of breathing exercises to catch you breath - I don't know how true that is.
I heard that if you take more than a few deep breaths then you can end up hyperventilating which obviously would be counter-productive.....
  #15  
Old 5th October 2010, 16:17
Dandelion10 Dandelion10 is offline
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Default Re: Breathing to calm yourself

I've found it helps me get control, my breathing gets erratic when I'm anxious and then it escalates into panic so taking just two deep breaths does help to get a grip but I agree sometimes nothing seems to help.
  #16  
Old 5th October 2010, 21:37
Mr. Nobody Mr. Nobody is offline
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Default Re: Breathing to calm yourself

Quote:
Originally Posted by In The Moment
As Taylor said above. Breathing into a bag seems to be the issue. I might have read that breathing into a bag for 3 minutes is what allows you to calm down, but I can't remember. I tend to focus on what is practical for public situations.

breathing into a bag is a recognised method to counter-act the effects of a panic attack ( brought on by hyperventilation )
people often imagine hyper-ventialtion is a state / condition that is brought on or induced by quick breathing,...hyperventilation is simply a state brought on by anxiety or stress where there is too much oxygen in the blood, this happens unconsciously over a period of some time, and is more often than not induced by anxiety, which affects breathing. I'ts simply an indication that the oxygen / co2 mixture in our bloodstream has become lop-sided, and too much oxygen has been retained.
putting a bag over your mouth helps by quickly introducing co2 absorbtion back into the bloodstream and thereby counter-acting the effects of hyperventilation.

personally, for relaxation to be brought on, or induced by breathing, I would say that something similar to what Dlm026 suggested is helpful i.e. simply watch your breathing intently, and do not try to alter it, but just watch, as often as possible,and that really helps to aid relaxation, but I would say that it's difficuilt, if not impossible if you are already in an anxious state or mood,...if you are moderatley relaxed, then watching your breath can induce a really deep level of relaxation and a pleasant, subtle feeling of joy and calmness, but it takes time.
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